Example embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to an arrangement of switch cells for supplying a virtual voltage to standard cells.
A semiconductor device refers to a device implemented using a semiconductor material such as silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phosphide (InP), and the like. The semiconductor device may include a plurality of cells that may be composed of transistors that are driven using a supply power.
However, external power is not directly supplied to the standard cells. Instead, the external power is input to an element referred to as a “switch cell”, which generates a virtual voltage. The virtual voltage output from the switch cell is applied to the standard cells. A sufficient virtual voltage has to be supplied to the standard cells for stable driving of a semiconductor device. In addition, a ground voltage has to be supplied to the standard cells smoothly.
However, dense placement of switch cells to supply the virtual voltage and the ground voltage to the standard cells causes an increase in the area and complicates interconnections. In this case, the performance of the semiconductor device may be reduced.